Translation: Cardinal Schonborn Expressly Approved The Unholy Mass

A commenter, Dave Hahn, asked if anyone bothered to translate the gloria.tv report on the Unholy Mass.

Well someone did.

Here is a direct quote from the video of the priest in his homily:

In his homily, Father Faber made a point of saying that Cardinal Schönborn expressly approved this celebration. Despite the fact that Gloria TV had documented liturgical abuses during the previous years, Despite international exposure and world criticism, Cardinal Schönborn stands behind the event.

The following is the complete translation of the gloria.tv video of Cardinal Schonborn’s expressly approved Unholy Mass:

On the 29th of June, the pastor of Vienna’s Cathedral, Father Toni Faber celebrated the so called Western Mass at the Danube Island Festival, for the third time. The Danube Island Festival is an annual large open air music festival in Vienna.

For the Mass the faithful sat on picnic tables {like in a beer garden}. For the first couple of rows there were no beer tables. In the first rows, sat among others the organizers. They appeared in full western regalia.

All the images of Gloria TV video come from the forward core area of the gathering- i.e 2/3 of the gathering- the camera only rolled during from the gospel to the final blessing.

To the right and the left during the Mass beverages and grilled meat were sold. On the stage musicians played gospel music : during the communion “We are the world” from Michael Jackson was sung. The congregants behaved as if they were at a barbecue. At the picnic tables there were ashtrays. During the Mass, people smoked, ate and drank. On almost all the tables, there were drinks.

In his homily, Father Faber made a point of saying that Cardinal Schönborn expressly approved this celebration. Despite the fact that Gloria TV had documented liturgical abuses during the previous years, Despite international exposure and world criticism, Cardinal Schönborn stands behind the event.

Quote from the Homily
” Our Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, who yesterday I told that I would be with you, sends you his blessings and greetings, stated clearly a couple of months ago, that things cannot remains the same as it is now, we don’t only need the permanent renewal of the Church but we have to look at areas that are hot button issues, and change things now.”

Commentary continues
Some during the consecration lay on blankets. A woman sunned herself directly in front of the altar. Another woman prepared set up a meal, which had been brought by her husband. She then interrupted her activity to quickly stand up and pray. The sign of peace took place over half eaten food. For the communion Father Faber extended an open invitation to those attending the barbecue.

Quote from Father Faber
All who feel well prepared are invited to take part, and others are requested to keep an appropriate quiet, so that they may support those in prayer, and not disturb others.

Image of man smoking , commentary continues. On the accompanying sheet, there was an expressly invitation to open communion.

Narrator reads from the sheet. Image of the song sheet. “All baptized christians, who in their hearts feel an invitation to receive communion and who acknowledge the continued presence of the Lord in the Eucharist are invited.” Commentary closes.

At the conclusion, the Pastor of the Cathedral, Father Faber gave thanks that this Mass could be held.

Audio quote follows
“Many thanks that the Gospel could be brought to the world, could come to many people, even when it is for some not 100% understandable. We thank those who were able to provide the venue, and allow u to celebrate the Mass in an appropriate manner.”

In fairness, the priest’s report of Cardinal Schonborn’s speech, even if accurate as reported, cannot reasonably be construed to imply or entail approval of the “Western Mass” as such – the Cardinal only sends his blessings and greetings to Fr. Faber’s flock.

Perhaps a result of the thinking of the Eucharist only as a meal. Along with this throw in the denial of the Real Presence. If the Eucharist is only a meal, why not have others join in by sharing and eating what they also brought along.

The whole thing is lunatic. Fortunately it won’t really play in Peoria; most people surfeited with barbecued meat, beer and ciggies don’t care for the religious stuff. Why go chomp on a thin wafer when you can open a bag or two of tortilla chips and some hot salsa? And what’s with the gospel music anyway? Turn on some freaking Aerosmith!

Chris has a good point. Bishops, cardinals, and popes send “blessings and greetings” to people all the time without necessarily expressing approval of all their actions. For example, Veronica Lueken, the supposed visionary of Bayside, used to parade a routine blessing given to one of her followers by Pope John Paul II as “proof” that her shrine and her visions had received Church approval. Does Gloria TV or anyone else have clear evidence that Cardinal Schonborn not only gave permission for a Mass to be celebrated at the festival, but also approved the MANNER in which it was celebrated?

How in heaven’s name could any Cardinal approve of this fiasco as a Mass. One has therefore to believe the Cardinal did not know the extent of what was planned, however, if the presider only assumed this was a normal “blessing of the event” was permission than where is the rebuttal and denial of approval from the Cardinal as to the acutal event that took place.

Considering that Cardinal Schonborn celebrated the infamous “Balloon Mass” and defended his participation in it and being the prelate of Austria where there was a revolt in the See of Linz when an orthodox bishop was appointed because the priests didn’t want to give up their girlfriends, then I can see this happening.

Cardinal Schonborn may be orthodox, but he’s what I call “personally orthodox, ecclesiastically incompetent” type of bishop.

Well, I suppose if you assumed the worst at every turn, it would seem like a mountain of evidence.

I’ve been to a World Youth Day where worse things than were shown in the Austrian video happened. Given that WYD was organized by Pope John Paul II, can I assume that the misbehavior I witnessed was “expressly approved” by Pope John Paul II?

I’ve also been to a conference back in the 1990’s that included some truly atrocious charismatic liturgies, including one where a priest handed hosts to everyone to hold while he did the consecration. Given that Archbishop Chaput was one of the clergy at the conference, can I go tell people about how he “expressly approved” this?

I don’t think so. But if I already had a grudge against Archbishop Chaput or Pope John Paul II, I might try to make a case of this. Which makes me think you have something against Cardinal Schonborn. So, I’d ask again: Why are you on this crusade against him?

JohnH I understand your points, but do not feel your comparison is a fair one. There is a major difference between one to be holding a large event as YD where each individual occurence can not be controlled and one is critical of the occurences. This event evidently scantioned by a “priest” who had acknowledged a blessing of the event ( certainly not a Liturgal event according to the rubics ) has not been openly critized by his Bishop and this case the Cardinal is truly amazing regardless of the Cardinal’s past history. How about after all the publicity some comment from the Cardinal as how and why the event took place in the first place.